The tennis season begins this weekend for the men’s and women’s teams, which both feature players ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association singles preseason polls.
Senior Neal Skupski and junior Olivier Borsos both ranked individually in the singles ITA preseason poll and together in the doubles preseason poll, lead the Tigers into the 2011-12 season, with their first stop at the USTA Futures Qualifying Tournament in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Skupski starts this season ranked No. 31 after racking up 15 wins last season, which included three against nationally ranked opponents. He was also a doubles All-American last season for the second time, becoming only the second male Tiger to achieve that feat. Skupski has garnered 53 career victories. Borsos claimed the No. 105 spot in the preseason rankings after recording 19 wins in the 2010-11 campaign, with three wins against ranked opponents.
“Fall tournaments are an opportunity to establish yourself nationally,” said men’s coach Jeff Brown. The Tigers finished 5-6 in the Southeastern Conference and 12-14 overall last year. The season ended in a 4-0 loss to then-No. 9 Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament.
But a new season brings new opportunities.
Senior Whitney Wolf leads three other Lady Tigers into the Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational in Midland, Texas, while four other Lady Tigers will play in the Gopher Invitational in Minneapolis.
“The girls have been working hard, and I am looking forward to seeing how they compete at the first tournament of the year,” said women’s assistant coach Lisa Jackson.
Wolf, who has 49 career victories, will join senior Olivia Howlett, sophomore Ariel Morton and sophomore Yvette Vlaar in Midland. Other schools represented in the Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational include Missouri State University and University of Wisconsin.
Wolf’s doubles partner, junior Kaitlin Burns, will lead freshmen Rebecca Bodine and Paige Bahnsen and sophomore Hayley Everett into the Gopher Invitational. Other schools represented in Minneapolis this weekend include Texas Christian University, New Mexico State and Texas Tech.
Bodine, the nation’s No. 10 tennis recruit from Tarpon Springs, Fla., will suit up for LSU for the first time this weekend.
The Lady Tigers finished last season with an 11-13 record and a 5-6 record in SEC play. The season ended with a 4-3 loss to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament.
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